September 12, 2018
Dr. Brook DesRivieres
Brook DesRivieres, PharmD’06, has been named the recipient of the 2018 Bowl of Hygeia Award by the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin, in recognition of her community impact and breastfeeding advocacy work.

Brook DesRivieres, PharmD’06, has been named the recipient of the 2018 Bowl of Hygeia Award by the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin (PSW).  Dr. DesRivieres is one of many U-M Pharmacy alumni who have been honored with the Bowl of Hygeia Award.

Brook is Regional Director of Pharmacy for Ascension Wisconsin in the Milwaukee area and Residency Director for their PGY2 Health System Pharmacy Administration Program. She also serves as advisor to the PSW Practice Advancement Leadership Team (PALT), a group of health-system pharmacy administration residents and pharmacy leaders dedicated to heightening practice standards and improving patient care in Wisconsin.

Brook’s commitment to bettering the lives around her extends beyond her profession. Not only is she a leader for advancement in the pharmacy field, she addresses the needs of her community with passion and persistence. As a graduate of the Marshfield Area Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s Leadership Marshfield Program in 2015, Brook is expertly equipped to identify needs and create innovative solutions within the community.

As an advocate for breastfeeding mothers and proponent for normalizing public breastfeeding, Brook has identified the need for improving lactation support in her community. As an active member of the Wood County Breastfeeding Coalition, she led the Breastfeeding Friendly Business initiative in Marshfield. During the rebuild of the Marshfield Public Library, Brook advocated for the inclusion of a lactation room and even helped fund the project by hosting a family fun run called “Milky Miles.” She used events such as these to educate the public about the benefits of breastfeeding and normalizing breastfeeding in public.

Ashley Lorenzen, clinical pharmacist at Ascension said of Brook, “[She] is the type of well-rounded pharmacist that I aspire to be. I am only six years out of school, but strive to be a pharmacist and community member that others look up to.” Pastor Patti Steevens of St. Paul’s United Church of Christ said, “Her leadership by example was only equaled by her smile and positive attitude” as she served the congregation as a Board member.

The PSW Bowl of Hygeia Award is given to an individual who has made substantial impact upon their community through community service. The award is not designed to recognize pharmacy accomplishments, although its recipients have often made substantial impact within the profession. Instead, this award is designed to recognize what pharmacists have done outside of pharmacy for the benefit of others. Brook received her award during the 2018 PSW Annual Meeting on Saturday, August 25 in Wisconsin Dells, WI.